


Humility

by ChocoChipBiscuit



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3
Genre: Dancing Lessons, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-01
Updated: 2014-05-01
Packaged: 2018-01-21 13:52:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1552748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocoChipBiscuit/pseuds/ChocoChipBiscuit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fawkes teaches M!LW to dance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Humility

The boy from Vault 101 stumbles, swears, and catches himself against Fawkes’ arms. Gently, the meta human takes his hands, readjusting his position. He’ll never stop thinking of him as a boy, despite the curly beard starting to cover his jaw or the broad expanse of his shoulders. There is a thin scar marring his upper lip, a hairless line that breaks the beard’s developing fullness. And while well over six feet tall—and still growing, judging by the disproportionate size of his hands and feet—the vault boy still doesn’t make it past Fawkes’ chest.

But really, it’s the liquid depth of those brown eyes and the expressive curl of his lip that will always make Fawkes think of him as a boy.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get it, Fawkes,” he mutters, his voice a deep and velvet baritone. “Too clumsy.”

“If Cross could teach me, I can teach you,” Fawkes rumbles reproachfully. “Follow my lead.”

The young man’s eyes narrow suspiciously, and he irritatedly huffs an errant dreadlock out of his face. “Isn’t that the _girl’s_ role?”

Fawkes wisely decides not to engage in a debate on gender roles with the self-conscious Wasteland savior. ‘Procreation is your civic duty’ had been so firmly ensconced in that handsome skull that it had been awkward and painful on both their parts before they could frankly discuss, well… anything. Especially anything that threatened the boy’s sense of masculinity.

“We are both men, therefore there _is_ no ‘girls’ role. If you are concerned about following, stand on my feet,” Fawkes coaxes, as if trying to tame a wild dog. “Just until you master the movement.”

The teenager scowls, but steps forward. His bare soles are soft and cool, pressing on the tops of Fawkes’ unshod feet. The rest of him is hard muscle and calluses, but his feet are always protected by thick soles and boots, delicate in comparison to the rest of him.

“Still feels stupid,” he mumbles, pressing his whiskered cheek to Fawkes’ broad chest, seeking assurance in his heartbeat. “You’re the only one who can still make me feel like a dumb kid all over again.” He allows Fawkes to guide the dance, slowly relaxing and releasing the rigid tension in his hips and shoulders, letting it flow out until finally, hesitant as a child’s first steps, he learns to anticipate the movement.

“Humility is good for the soul,” Fawkes chuckles, eyes crinkling as the boy steps off his feet. They dance a slow and perfect circle, swaying to the jukebox rhythm.

“I’ll take confidence over humility,” the young man snorts, flashing a gap-toothed grin upward.

Fawkes drops his hands and unceremoniously lifts the boy by his armpits, spinning him through the air. The vault kid’s indignant squawk is music to his ears.

Chidingly, Fawkes overrules the boy’s outburst with one word.

“ _Humility.”_


End file.
